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(NAMoAleL) G. PEARCE & E. HUGHES. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING MATRIGESTOR STEREOTYPE PLATES. A

' "Patent-ed Apr. 1,1884 15 .3.

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NITED STATES 3 PATENT BEIGE.

GEORGE PEARCE, OF RIVERSDALE ROAD, HIGHBURY NEW PARK, ISLINGE TON, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, AND EDWARD HUGHES, OF ANSTEY ROAD,

OAMBERWELL, COUNTY OF SURREY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO STEPHEN DAVIS TUCKER AND ROBERT HOE, JR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING MATRICES FOR STEREOTYPE-PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,049, dated April 1, 1884. Application filed April 10, 1883. (No model.) latenteil in England Fcbruaryill, 1880, No. 863.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that we, GEoEeE PEARCE, of

Riversdale Road, Highbury New Park, Islington, in the county of Middlesex, England, and EDWARD HUGHES, of Anstey Road, Camberwell, in the county of Surrey, England, have invented certaim Improvements in Method of and Apparatus for Drying Matrices for Stereotype-Plates, of which the following is a specification. a

In those processes of stereotyping most com- ,monly practiced .at the present time, the ma trix or mold. from which the. plate is cast is composed of paper, papier-machfor similar material, and is usually obtainedby placing several layers or sheets of such material provided with a suitable cementing substance and in a moist and plastic condition upon the face of the form, and then pressing or otherwise forcing the same against the form, so as to fill all theinterstices in the faces of the type and produce an exactcounterpart of the same. Before the matrix thus formed can be used in casting the plateit must be thoroughly dried and set, and. this has usually been done before the matrix was removed from the face of the form. To accomplish this thematrix, after-be ing formed as just described, was covered by one or more thicknesses of blanket, and the In United States Letters Patent No. 128,285, a

method has also been described in which the matrix is removed from the form while still in a moist condition, and laid back downward upon an iron bed, its face being then covered with a layer of sand which filled all the intaglio parts of the matrix and served the same purpose as the type in preventing theface of the matrix from becoming distorted during the drying operation which followed. The use of 5 sand in this manner is objectionable, because it is sure to adhere, to a greater or less extent, to the face of the matrix, so that its removal therefrom after the matrix is dry requires some time and labor, and the element of time is, as is well known, of the greatest importance inthe operation of stereotyping. The use of sand in this manner is also objectionable for other reasons.

It is the object of the present invention, among other things, to avoid this damage to the type, and at thesame time avoid the delay andother inconveniences incident to the .use of sand as just described. In the attainment of this object we have discovered that it is not necessary to fill the intaglio portions. of the face of the matrix in order to prevent warping and distortion during the drying operation, and we therefore, after removing the matrix from the face of the form, effect the drying of 6 5 the same by confining it between a heated surface and one or more thicknesses of blanket, thus avoiding the heating of the type, and at the same time the delay and annoyanceincident to the use of sand upon the face'of the matrix. D

To these ends one feature of the invention consists in a method of drying the matrix, which consists in removing the same from the face of the form while still in a moist condition, and then confining the same between a heated surface and one or more thicknesses of blanket.

Another feature of the invention consists in a method of drying the matrix, whichconsists in removing the same from the form while in a moist condition, and then confining it between a layer of heated pulverulent material,

and one or more thicknesses of blanket.

The invention alsogembraces an apparatus for carrying said methods into practical operation, and also various detailsof construction and combinations of parts, all of which w1ll be hereinafter fully explained and particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a matrix-drying apparatus embodying the mechanical features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a tranverse vertical section of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are views of details, to be hereinafter referred to.

Referring to said figures, it is to be understood that represents a smooth iron plate or bed of suitable thickness and of a size somewhat greater than that of the matrix to be dried. This plate is supported in any convenient manner upon a suitable frame, 11, and is surrounded by a narrow. rim or flange, 12, within which is placed a thin layer of fine sand or other pulverulent material, 13, covering the entire top of the plate. The frame 11 is provided at a suitable distance below the plate 10 with a series of brackets, 14, or other suitable means for supporting a series of gas pipes, 15, which are provided with burners 16, arranged at such distances from each other as to impart a uniform or nearly uniform degree of heat to all parts of the plate 10 and sand 18. The pipes 15 are fed from a main pipe,

"17, which is provided at some convenient point with a cook, 18, (see Fig. 4,) around which'is a small by-pass, 19, provided with a cock, 20, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The supporting-frame 11 will preferably, as shown in Fig. 2, be composed of two solid plates, which will serve to inclose upon two sides the space beneath the plate 10. The remaining sides of said space will be inclosed by plates, as 21, mounted upon rock-shafts 22, which are provided with cranks 23, by the movement of which the plates can be turned to the position shown in Fig. 2, so as to entirely inclose the space beneath the plate 10 and confine the heat from the burners 16 therein, or to a horizontal position, so as to allow the heat to escape. A small space, 30, will be left beneath the plates 11 and 21, through which air can pass to feed the burners. The frame 11 is provided upon one side with a pair of brackets, 24, to which is hinged a perforated plate, 25, slightly smaller than the plate 10, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. This plate will preferably be provided with one or more handles, 26, by which it can be raised, and with stops, as 27, for limiting its backward movement, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. In drying matrices according to the present method, the plate 25 is turned back to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the sand 13 is spread to a uniform thickness over 1 the plate 10. This will be most conveniently accomplished by passing a straight edge, as 28, back and forth over the sand, as indicated in Fig. 3. The cook 18 will thenbe opened and the burners 16 lighted. When the plate 10 degree, which will be about 212 Fahrenheit,

the cock 18 may be closed and the cock 20.

opened. This will serve to very much reduce the amount of gas fed to the burners 5 but after the plate and sand. are once heated a small amount of gas will be sufficient to maintain them at the required temperature. The matrix having been formed in the usual manner, as hereinbefore set forth, will then be removed from the face of the form and placed in its moist condition, face uppermost, upon the sand 13. One or more layers (the number depending upon the quality andthickness) of loosely-woven woolen blanket, 29, will then be laid upon the face of the matrix, and the plate 25,which is of sufficient weight to hold the matrix in position and prevent it from wrinkling or curling during the drying, will be turned down to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The matrix will be allowed to remain in this position until thoroughly dried and set, which will usually take from one and a half to two minutes. Thesteam generated from the moisture in the matrix during the drying process will pass freely through the blanket and the perforations in the plate 25 and escape. WVhen the drying is complete, the plate 25 and the blanket will be removed, and the matrix will then be used to cast the plate in the usual manner.

The matrix, instead of being placed upon the sand face upward, may be placed thereon face downward, in which case a sheet of thin or tissue paper maybe interposedbetween the sand and the matrix,to prevent the sand from adhering to the latter.

In some cases it will be found practicable to dispense with the sand and lay the matrix directly upon the plate 10 but usually it will be found preferable to use the sand.

It will also be seen that steam or other heat may be used in place of the gasjets for heating the apparatus.

WVhat We claim is 1. The herein-deseribed method of drying the matrix for a stereotype-plate, which consists in removing said matrix from the face of the form while in a moist condition, and then confining the same between a heated surface and one or more thicknesses of blanket, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described method of drying the matrix for a stereotype-plate, which consists in removing said matrix from the face of the form while in a moist condition, and then confining the same between a layer of heated pulverulent material and one or more thicknesses of blanket, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for drying matrices, the combination, with the plate 10, and means for heating the same, of the blanket 29 and perforated plate 25, all substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for drying matrices, the

combination, with the plate 10 and means for 11, of the movable plates 21 and the burners ,heating the same, of the blanket 29 and layer 16, substantially as described.

0ft pnlverulent material 13, substantially as ,7 p GEORGE PEARCE. 7

described. EDW'ARD HUGHES. y 5 5. In an apparatus for drying matrices, the Witnesses: l

combination, with the plate 10 and means for JOHN DEAN, heating the same, of the blanket 29, layer of Clerk to llfessrs. SCOIGT&HEWM'S, 17 Gracechurch pulverulent material 13, and perforated plate St, London. 25, all substantially as described. FRANcIs F. ROBINSON,

1 I0 6, In an apparatus for drying matrices, the Clerk to llfessraBower, Cotton 651302062, 46 Ohmzj con1bination,with the plate 10 and solid plates cery Lane, London. 

